My idea of wellness and living a healthy lifestyle has shifted so many times in my life. I feel like I’ve really grown up with every different trend of fitness, dieting, workout videos, fads and beyond. I have years looking back in high school where I would go to the gym twice a day, spend hours on cardio machines, buy diet pills from Walgreens, only eat salads and literally run my body into the ground. I’ve also done nothing for a year but give myself to my baby and sort of lost myself. I’ve seen the positive benefits of focusing on the right foods, eating more protein, getting better sleep, lifting weights and being gentler on my body. The extremes are what really can give you an unhealthy relationship with maintaining a healthy balance and lifestyle. I am absolutely not an expert but just speaking from experience in that I feel like I’ve mentally come to a place where I’m content.
The goal for me is I just want to feel good in my body. I want to feel strong for my kids. I don’t need to compare myself to anyone else. To give you a little backstory of my fitness in recent years – after I had Jack (my middle son) at the end of 2017, I really made a choice to get in better shape. I hired a personal trainer and was arguably in the best shape of my life. It felt good! I learned how to lift weights and eat more instead of running my body to the ground. Most importantly it created a habit for me that I really haven’t let go of since. Even through COVID, having George in 2021 and our move, exercise has been a consistent in my routine. I think I heard that it takes 21 days to create a habit and I can attest that even on weeks where I’m not working out at all, I never have a problem getting back into it the following week. It’s a habit and one that I rely on heavily for my mental health and beyond.
My goal every week is to workout more days than I’m not which would mean at least 4 days on/3 days off. I usually hit this averaging 4-5 workouts a week. My workouts consist of 1-2 cycle classes and 2-3 hot yoga classes (a mix of strength and cardio) a week. I try to fit a run in there, too! I have found that the balance of a couple high intensity cardio classes a week (cycle) is something my body craves but the slower stretch and heat I get from yoga is something my body needs. I need to be better about is getting my steps in. I’m determined to fix that on my days off even if it’s just a mile. I actually stopped wearing my Apple Watch because I felt like it was putting too much pressure on myself to close my rings but I may bring it back to ensure I’m getting my steps in. I’m the queen of never having enough time for anything but exercise is sort of my non-negotiable. I also feel like after COVID, everyone (I guess referring more to the working world and “not having time”) understands the need for self care. If we aren’t investing in ourselves and in our bodies we can’t invest in other things. The mental load we carry in just daily life demands a form of release. Exercise is that for me! I’ve also created this magical workout community that I love so much. My little morning crew that brings me so much joy and support. It’s not always easy to find but once you do it’s the best.
*AND, a little note to say that your workout doesn’t have to be a cycle class or yoga class! I love my workouts at home just as much. Whether it is running outside or doing a Heather Robertson strength workout in my bedroom.
I also attribute feeling good to healthy habits I’ve introduced over the past year that I try really hard to be consistent with:
Not restricting my diet. I am the type of person that can’t be one or the other. I honestly feel like I have good enough habits that restricting myself for a period of time just isn’t efficient. I’m not a Whole30/Dry January kind of gal. I could go down a dark rabbit hole of what I should or should not be eating, what causes inflammation, etc. and the truth is, the more I think about it, the more off the wagon I fall. I’ve really leaned in to giving myself a break. The healthier relationship you have with creating healthy habits in your life, the easier it is to fall into a routine.
Drinking at least 100oz of water a day. I usually fill up my 30oz Stanley 4-5x a day (I’m a thirsty person). It helps to pour a Better Greens in there (use LIZ10 for 10% off). Keeping my body hydrated from the inside out reflects on my skin, hair, everything!
I take Seed’s DS-01® Daily Synbiotic everyday. I have been so bad at being consistent in almost every vitamin/supplement until I saw and felt the benefits of SEED. LIZADAMS25 should still get you 25% off if you’re interested!
I’m not as hard on myself. I usually like to write my to-do list the night before and at the bottom of the page I write 3 things that I was proud of myself for that day. It can be silly like, not being grumpy with the kids before school, moving my body, completing the tasks I intended to or getting all of my kids to eat one meal (ha). Little wins add up to big wins! I talked about this on the Podcast recently but I truly believe that the kinder we are to ourselves, the more that is reflected in our outward energy and focus.
Ultimately, you have to do what is best for you. I was telling a friend who is really into/good at meditating that I think we find different versions of meditation for ourselves. Sometimes for me that looks like dancing to a really good song, zoning out in my workouts, taking a long hot shower or laying in silence. Our versions of anything doesn’t have to look like someone else’s version. We know ourselves best and get to choose what fills our own cups. Maybe that is rollerblading or maybe that is jazzersize. Whatever it is, knowing yourself and what YOU need is the most important.